Barangay Buhay

Barangay Buhay forms part of Makilala, a municipality in Cotabato, and is classified as a small barangay.

According to the 2020 Philippine census, Barangay Buhay had a population of 1,710. This made it the 17th largest of 38 barangays in Makilala by population, placing it in the middle tier of the municipality. Residents of Barangay Buhay accounted for approximately 1.94% of the total population of Makilala, which stood at 87,927 in the same census year.

The barangay recorded 1,679 residents in the 2015 intercensal count and 1,710 residents in the 2020 Census — a net change of +1.8%, consistent with a slowly expanding settlement. Barangay Buhay is officially classified as rural, a designation applied to barangays with lower population density and predominantly non-built-up land use.

Makilala is a municipality comprising 38 barangays, and serves as the governing unit directly responsible for local services in Barangay Buhay, including public health, sanitation, peace and order, and civil registration. Within the wider province of Cotabato, which contains 543 barangays across its component cities and municipalities, Barangay Buhay ranks 286th by 2020 population. Cotabato is classified as a 1st by the Bureau of Local Government Finance, a category that reflects the province's annual regular income.

Like every Philippine barangay, Barangay Buhay is led by an elected Punong Barangay (barangay captain) supported by seven Sangguniang Barangay members (kagawads), an SK Chairperson, a Barangay Secretary, and a Barangay Treasurer. The next Barangay and Sangguniang Kabataan Elections (BSKE) are scheduled for Monday, November 2, 2026, with officials serving four-year terms under Republic Act No. 12232.